Improvement in pavements



E. GOMEZ.

Pavements..

No. 134,049. Pafemed.nec.17,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN GOMEZ, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PAVEMENTS.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,049, dated December 17, 1872.

pavements; but Where the foundation is of wood it rots away rapidly, and the surface of the pavement becomes uneven. Iron alone is too harsh, and Wears smooth, and is slippery in wet Weather.

. The nature of my invention consists in combining Wood and iron to form a pavement, in such a Way as to retain the advantageous features resulting -from the elasticity of the Wood and the durable qualities of the iron. I make the base or support of the pavement of cast-iron, and the Wearngsurfaee of `altern ate strips of Wood and iron connected to the base, the Wooden' portions being removable for repairs.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan, showing my pavement as laid at the intersection of streets; Fig. 2 is a cross-section; and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the base or foundation. The base a is of iron-,cast in sections of a size convenient forhandling; it is also made with openings b `at suitable distances apart to make the sections lighter. The bars .c are of metal, and are secured upon the base a, transverse of the street. I have shown these bars c secured by rivets to the base, but they may be formed With dovetail-projections upon the under side to t into the openings b, which are also to be dovetailed to hold the bars c in place, or the bars c may be cast With the base a, if desired. The bars c have longitudinal tongues or ribs t' upon their sides, and into the space between these bars'wooden strips d are to be slid, the same having grooves which fit upon the tongues i, thus securing the Wood and iron iirmly together.

These iron bars and Wooden strips should be secured in place before the sections are laid, and they may be placed so as to break joints, the ends of the Wooden strips not coming inv the same line as the ends of the iron bars. The upper sides of the bars c form the iron Wearing-surface, alternating With the Wooden strips, and the proportion of these materials to each other can be varied, as desired, to forni a durable pavement, the Wooden portions giving foothold to horses, While the iron prevents the Wood Wearing away too fast.

The bars c maybe provided With grooves, and the Wood portions be made With ribs, to connect the. tWo together. When laid, the Wooden strips should project above the iron bars a short distance.

The Wooden portions of this pavement can be relaid when necessary, and the bars c can also be renewed, but the iron base forms a firm foundation Which is permanent.

At the intersection of streets the bars and Wood en strips can be laid in a circle, as shown, so as to give foothold in every direction, or it may be laid in a diamond shape.

This pavement is adapted to streets, and also to the road-bed of horse-railways.

To render this pavement more elastic, rubber may be placed between the base c and bars c, and if this base a is supported on beams rubber Ina'y be placed between the base a and beams for the same purpose.

I claim as my invention- The pavement for streets formed of alternate bars ot' Wood and iron, with tongues and grooves, and secured to the base-plate, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 14th day of August,

EDVIN GOMEZ.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINOKNEY, (31ans. H. SMITH. 

